El Salvador New Strength and Hope

Duarte gains an unexpected election victory over the right

Salvadoran President Jose Napoleon Duarte, 59, was jubilant. His center-left Christian Democratic Party had surprised even itself last week by its triumph in nationwide legislative and municipal elections. Some 1 million voters, about 59% of those eligible, ignored threats and a few minor attacks by leftist guerrillas to take part in the Palm Sunday voting. When it was over, there had been a clear shift in the country's balance of political power: the Christian Democrats appeared certain of a definite majority of seats in the 60member National Assembly. The sweeping show of support gave a badly needed boost to Duarte's reformist...

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